Mindmap of Intentional Torts

Revised September 4, 2007

Torts I

Prof. Eric E. Johnson, University of North Dakota School ofLaw

 

 

Intentional torts

                                                                i.      Generally

1.      Act

a.      Volitionalmovement

b.      Notreflex

2.      Intent

a.      Theconception of intent differs from tort to tort under the heading of"intentional torts"

b.      Substantialcertainty counts as intent

c.      Transferredintent

                                                                                                                                          i.     Personto person

                                                                                                                                         ii.     Tortto tort

d.      Motiveis irrelevant, and is distinguished from intent.

                                                                                                                                          i.     (Notethat whether evidence of motive can be used at trial to establish intent oranother element is a question for evidence law.)

3.      Noissue of incompetence

a.      Childrenas well as the mentally ill, developmentally disabled, and demented can commitintentional torts

4.      Causation

a.      Actual

b.      Proximate

c.      (Causationis considered in more depth under the heading of negligence, but the sameconcepts apply)

                                                              ii.      Thetorts (causes of action)

1.      Assault

a.      Statement

                                                                                                                                          i.     Anintentional creation of an immediate apprehension of a harmful or offensivetouching

b.      Elements

                                                                                                                                          i.     Act

                                                                                                                                         ii.     Intent

1.      Can beintent to effect an assault

2.      orintent to effect a battery

                                                                                                                                       iii.     Causation

                                                                                                                                      iv.     Apprehension

1.      Feardistinguished from apprehension

2.      Apparentability sufficient

3.      Wordsalone are not sufficient

a.      Butwords can negate the effect of conduct

                                                                                                                                        v.     Immediacy

2.      Battery

a.      Statement

                                                                                                                                          i.     Anintentional infliction of a harmful or offensive touching of a person

b.      Elements

                                                                                                                                          i.     Act

                                                                                                                                         ii.     Intent

1.      Can beintent to effect a battery

2.      orintent to effect an assault

                                                                                                                                       iii.     Causation

                                                                                                                                      iv.     Touching

1.      Can bedirect or indirect (e.g., setting something in motion, laying a trap)

2.      Touchingof a person includes anything connected to the person

                                                                                                                                        v.     Harmfulor Offensive

1.      Judgedby a reasonable-person standard

c.      Issues

                                                                                                                                          i.     "Eggshellplaintiff" rule

3.      FalseImprisonment

a.      Statement

                                                                                                                                          i.     Theintentional confinement, experienced or harmful, of a person to a bounded area

b.      Elements

                                                                                                                                          i.     Act(or omission)

1.      Failureto release

                                                                                                                                         ii.     Intent

                                                                                                                                       iii.     Causation

                                                                                                                                      iv.     Confinement

1.      Sufficientmethods of confinement

a.      Physicalbarriers

b.      Physicalforce

c.      Threatsof force

d.      Invalidassertion of legal authority

2.      Insufficientmethods of confinement

a.      Moralpressure

b.      Futurethreats

3.      Durationof confinement is irrelevant

                                                                                                                                        v.     Boundedarea

1.      Movementmust be limited in all directions

2.      Anyreasonable and reasonably knowable means of escape negates this element

3.      Thebounded area cannot be the rest of the world

                                                                                                                                      vi.     Awarenessor harm

1.      Ifplaintiff is unharmed, but is aware of the confinement, this element issatisfied

2.      Likewise,if plaintiff is unaware of the confinement, but is harmed by it, theconfinement, this element is satisfied

4.      Outrage

a.      Statement

                                                                                                                                          i.     Theintentional or reckless infliction, by extreme and outrageous conduct, ofsevere emotional distress

b.      Elements

                                                                                                                                          i.     Act

                                                                                                                                         ii.     Intentor recklessness

1.      Notethat recklessness counts as "intent" for outrage

                                                                                                                                       iii.     Extremeand outrageous conduct

1.      Thestandard here is high -- must be truly outrageous

                                                                                                                                      iv.     Causation

                                                                                                                                        v.     Severeemotional distress

1.      Mustbe enough that plaintiff sought medical attention

c.      Issues

                                                                                                                                          i.     The"eggshell plaintiff" doctrine does not apply to allow unusuallysensitive plaintiffs to recover for act that would not cause severe emotionaldistress in persons generally

                                                                                                                                         ii.     However,if the defendant knows about the unusual sensitivity, a cause of action willlie

                                                                                                                                       iii.     Outrageis also known as "intentional infliction of emotional distress" or"IIED"

5.      Trespassto land

a.      Statement

                                                                                                                                          i.     Anintentional physical invasion of a person's real property

b.      Elements

                                                                                                                                          i.     Act

                                                                                                                                         ii.     Intent

1.      Theonly intent needed is the intent to do the act that results in the physicalinvasion

2.      Notknowing that the land belongs to another person does not negate the intentelement

                                                                                                                                       iii.     Causation

                                                                                                                                      iv.     Physicalinvasion

1.      Personor object

2.      Doesnot include intangibles, e.g., vibrations or odors

                                                                                                                                        v.     Realproperty

1.      Surface

2.      Subsurface

3.      Airspaceto a reasonable distance

6.      Trespassto chattels

a.      Statement

                                                                                                                                          i.     Anintentional interference with plaintiff's chattel by physical contact ordispossession

b.      Elements

                                                                                                                                          i.     Act

                                                                                                                                         ii.     Intent

                                                                                                                                       iii.     Causation

                                                                                                                                      iv.     Interference

                                                                                                                                        v.     Withright of possession

1.      Physicalcontact

2.      Dispossession

3.      Interferencewith use

                                                                                                                                      vi.     Chattel

1.      Notpeople

2.      Notreal property

3.      Notintangible property

a.      Unlessreduced to a tangible form (e.g., negotiable bearer bond)

c.      Issues

                                                                                                                                          i.     Distinguishfrom conversion

1.      (seenotes below)

7.      Conversion

a.      Statement

                                                                                                                                          i.     Anintentional exercise of dominion or control over a chattel which sosubstantially interferes with the plaintiff's rights as to require defendant tobe forced to purchase it

b.      Elements

                                                                                                                                          i.     Act

                                                                                                                                         ii.     Intent

                                                                                                                                       iii.     Interference

                                                                                                                                      iv.     Chattel

                                                                                                                                        v.     Substantiality

1.      Sosubstantial, the act warrants a forced sale

c.      Issues

                                                                                                                                          i.     Distinguishingconversion from trespass to chattels

1.      Factorsmilitating in favor of conversion

a.      Lengthof time withheld

b.      Amountand severity of damage

c.      "Totaled"

2.      Factorstending to negate conversion

a.      Repairabledamage

b.      Temporarynature of deprivation

                                                                                                                                         ii.     In theremedy for conversion, after paying damages, the defendant retains theconverted property

                                                             iii.      Issues

1.      "Eggshellplaintiff" rule

                                                            iv.      Defenses

1.      Consent

a.      Scope

b.      Express,implied in fact, implied by law

2.      Defenseof self

a.      Aperson is entitled to use reasonable force to prevent any reasonably believedthreat of imminent battery or false imprisonment

3.      Defenseof others

a.      Sameas self defense, but in a majority of jurisdictions, a mistake in perceiving athreat, even if reasonable, will void the defense

4.      Defenseof property

a.      Aperson is entitled to use reasonable force to protect land and chattels

b.      WARNING:There is more to this! Read up on N.D. law before shooting anyone.

5.      Arrest

a.      Police

b.      Citizen

                                                                                                                                          i.     Privilegeis much more limited than for police

6.      Privatenecessity

a.      Aperson is privileged to invade the property rights of another to avoid injuryto person or property, but must pay compensatory damages

b.      Note:Necessity is a defense to property torts only: trespass and conversion

7.      Publicnecessity

a.      Sameas for private necessity, but where the community at large is threatened, nocompensatory damages are owed.

b.      Note:Necessity is a defense to property torts only: trespass and conversion